


Wearing the mask.

by nobody1570



Category: A Practical Guide to Evil - erraticerrata
Genre: Self-Insert, Slow To Update
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-11-22
Updated: 2019-02-08
Packaged: 2019-08-27 19:32:38
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 3
Words: 2,279
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16708702
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/nobody1570/pseuds/nobody1570
Summary: After mysterious events a man from our world found himself lost in the guideverse.He managed to claim the name of Chancellor.This is a part of his story.





	1. The end of a story

**Author's Note:**

> This my first fanfic.  
> I hope my efforts will be somewhat enjoyable.  
> Do not hesitate to give feedback.
> 
> I can't promise that I'll update a lot or that my writing will be decent, but I'll do my best.
> 
> Also, I'm claiming the credit for the Chancellor self-insert idea. As far as I know I'm the first.

 

“Why? Why did you betray our people?”

The accusation galmed through the street. I signaled my guards a sign to not interfere. They wouldn’t be able to make a difference. A band of heroes wasn’t easily stopped.

“Well, what people are we talking about?” I asked.

“You know who I am talking about!”  She continued shouting in some Callowan dialect.

I only understood fragments, but I could tell most of it were insults.

“You want to know why?” I interrupted her tirade.

“Yes.”

She could put a remarkable amount of venom in a single word.

“Are you certain? Or do you just want an excuse to kill me, a harmless bureaucrat?”

She closed the distance between us.

“You! YOU!” Her face started to become flushed.  
She jabbed her finger into my shoulder.  
“We both know you are. The. Chancellor,” she said.

“Are you certain? I’ve been mistaken for other people before,” I answered.

“You are wearing the mask!”

“Oh, you mean this?” I pointed to my mask.

It was a simple wooden thing.

“The mask doesn’t really prove anything,” I said. “I could be a decoy.”

“You’re not a decoy!” She thrusted a finger into my shoulder. Again.

I slapped her hand away.

“You couldn’t tell it the last three times, I would be surprised if you could do it now,” I said.

“I’ve gained an aspect since we last met. I can see through your lies,” she said.

“Really? Interesting.”

“You won’t get away this time. I won’t let you.” She drew her sword.

I stepped back.

“Why do you even bother? We both know how this is going to end,” I said.

“It won’t end like the last time.”

“I wouldn’t be so sure if I were you.”

“He’s planning something! Be on your guard!” she tried to warn her allies.

“You’re too late,” I said. “I warned you. You didn’t listen. You never listen.”

“You won’t kill them this time, I wont allow it!” She lunged at me.

I sidestepped the trajectory of the blade and tripped her. She fell. One of my guards quickly moved and put his blade at her throat.

 

“You overcommitted,” I noted.

“Attack!” she shouted. No response came.

“You see,” I continued, “everything has transpired as I had foreseen.”

I couldn’t keep the smugness out of my voice. I really needed to work on that.

“What have you done?” She asked.

“It should be obvious by now. Besides, aren’t you able to see through my lies?”

I broke the illusion and gestured towards the other heroes.

“No.” She kept staring at the other heroes.

Or more accurately, she stared at what remained of them. They were little more than a group of animated corpses. I slowly moved closer towards her.

“Your tenacity is admirable. It’s almost a shame you won’t escape this time,” I said.

She tried using one of her aspects.

“Esca-.”

“Corrupt.” I interrupted her.

She wasn’t the only one who had learned new tricks. I could feel the power of my aspect render hers useless. I gave my guard a signal and he stabbed her throat. She clawed at what remained of her throat while she choked in her own blood. Gurgles echoed through the street. She kept glaring at me.

“I still owe you an answer, I suppose,” I said.

She seemed to be paying attention. I didn’t really care if she didn’t. It wasn’t like she deserved to know. We barely knew each other. The only interactions we ever had consisted of trying to kill each other. It was more of a courtesy. I believed it was the right thing to do. It felt natural, like a fitting end to her story.

“I’m not Callowan.”

Her eyes widened slightly.

“You tried to make our story about YOU killing a traitor, didn’t you?”

Something seemed to break inside her. Her movements became slower.

“We all make mistakes.” I crouched down next to her.  
“For what’s it’s worth, I’ll remember you. Not enough to actually want you back, mind. But I’ll remember how you kept struggling to the end. How you never gave up.”

She spat a glob of blood on my mask. Her body would have shook with hysterical laughter if her lungs weren’t filled with blood. Instead she coughed up more blood. I stayed crouched next to her until she died. I then retrieved a letter from her corpse.

“Clean up this mess,” I ordered my guards. “Ask the local militia for help if you need it. I will go to the Baroness alone.”

 

I smiled behind my mask.  
Anne Kendal and I had a lot to discuss.


	2. Choices.

It didn’t take long for me to reach the keep of Dormer. The reception I got was cold. I hadn’t expected anything else. I was escorted inside and was led to a waiting room. Rather than taking a seat, I studied the room. It was obviously designed to show the wealth of the Kendals. A painting caught my eye. It was a painting of a silver haired knight heroically sitting on a horse. The horse was trampling an orc. Kendal entered the room several minutes later.

“It’s a pleasure to finally meet you Chancellor,” the Baroness tonelessly broke the silence.

“The pleasure is all mine, I assure you.” I smiled faintly behind my mask.

I stopped looking at the painting and slowly turned toward her.  
She flinched when she saw the blood on my mask.

“You must be wondering about the purpose of my visit,” I said.

“As a matter of fact, I have,” she said.

“I have come with a gift.” I handed her the letter.

She gingerly accepted it. She opened the letter and started reading. It didn’t take long for her to frown.

“This is a forgery, I am obviously being framed.” She seemed shaken despite her words.

“I know. It was made at my request,” I said.

“What is the meaning of this Chancellor?” she demanded. “This is outrageous!”  
She waved the letter in my face.

“Is it? Are you not commiting treason?” I asked.

A hint of fear entered her eyes.

“I do not have the fain-,” she protested.

“Don’t bother lying. We both know the truth,” I interrupted her.

Her face became grim.

“Then why are you here? Have you come here to gloat?” she accused me.

“I have come here to offer you a choice.”

I removed my mask and started monologuing.

“You see the blood on this mask?  
It’s the blood of a heroine. She was Callowan. Every few months, she would attempt to ambush and kill me.  
Or make me suddenly discover Callowan patriotism and turn on the empire or something. It was hard to tell sometimes.  
I tried to reason with her.  
She never listened. That was her choice.  
She had a plan to get me killed. It was a good plan, but it failed nonetheless.  
The letter was made to lure her and her band to Dormer. She took the bait.  
She had to stop me from learning the whereabouts of the remains the knightly orders, after all.  
And this time I ambushed them. Some illusions, some help from Assassin and some borrowed artifacts were all it took to kill her band.  
We thinned their numbers one by one. And she never realised a thing before it was too late.”

The Baroness scowled

“Is that a threat?” she asked. “I won’t betray my comrades. If you are going to execute me, do so. I’m not particularly interested in the story of your life.”  
Her eyes didn’t leave mine. They were silver, like her hair, but a different shade. 

“You know what the sad thing is about that heroine?” I asked.

“I have no doubt that you will enlighten me whether I want it or not.” Kendal responded.

“Well, you see, she believed she was helping Callow,” I said. “But, despite all her efforts, nothing significant changed.  
I’m alive, Callow is still occupied. She achieved nothing.  
I’m going to leave this keep with the names of your coconspirators.  
I can force you to tell me, but I’d prefer for you to volunteer said information.  
If I have to force you, you will be placed under house arrest and that will be the end of things.”

“I won’t betray Callow. Do you really think something as simple as ‘house arrest’ would change my mind?" asked Kendal coldly. "You’re a bigger fool than I thought.”

“If you volunteer the information, I will grant you de facto rulership over Callow. You’d still have to answer to the tower, of course. But other than that, you could do as you please.”

“And why would you do such a thing?” Suspicion laced her voice.

“The Black Knight is the man who rules Callow at the moment.” I spoke. “The empress might rule it on paper, but she lets him do whatever he wants with Callow.  
He rules Callow as best as he can, but his attention is divided. Appointing you as the de facto ruler of Callow will lighten the burden on the Black Knight and gives Callow a more dedicated ruler.”

“Why me?” Her eyes narrowed. "I'm a rebel."

“The Black Knight won’t be ruling Callow forever,” I said. “You are someone that is competent enough to do the job, while you truly care about Callow. You won’t allow yourself to do a bad job. Those traits are rarer than one might think.”

“I would still betray my people.” she noted.

“You would be able to make a difference,” I said. “You would be able to actually improve the lives of your people.”

“How do I even if know you are telling the truth?”

“You have my word. I’m willing to give you a chance to actually help Callow. The real question is if you take it. It’s your choice.” I took a seat.  
Silence descended over the room.

 

It was evening by the time Kendal made her choice.


	3. Detours

“Is this… detour truly necessary?” Kendal asked.

“Yes.” I stopped looking through the window of the carriage. “I do have responsibilities, you know.”

We were traveling to Laure. I wasn’t wearing my mask. The thing was uncomfortable to wear for long periods of time.

“And why do I need to accompany you?” The Baroness asked.

“Do I really need to answer that question?” I asked.

“Yes.”

“I didn’t expect you to actually cooperate.”

“I am sorry to have inconvenienced you,” Kendal said resentfully.

“Look on the bright side. You’ll be able to meet the Scribe and the Black Knight,” I said.

“The Black Knight killed my husband.”

“Ah… Er. My condolences.”

“Thank you.”

 

We sat together in silence until we stopped to eat. We ate in an inn beside the road. I sent one of my guards to get some food, while the rest of claimed a table. The guard brought back stew.

When we were eating Kendal asked me a question.

“What exactly are the responsibilities you have in Laure?”

“I’m going to attend the opening of an orphanage. You know, shake a few hands, kiss some babies, that sort of thing,” I said.

“Really?” Kendal asked surprised.

“Well, you see Amadeus had this pet project and I suggested that a representative of the tower should be there to show our support.”

“Amadeus? The Black Knight?” Kendal asked.

“Yes. He wants to make sure they get properly housed, fed and educated. ” I fished an undefinable thing out of my stew.

“But why?” Kendal seemed to be confused.

“Because it’s in his best interests.”

“I don’t see how he would benefit,” Kendal said sceptically.

“If we left them to rot, we’d be the evil empire that killed their parents. A little kindness prevents a heroic infestation of massive proportions.”

“Infestation?” Kendal raised an eyebrow.

“Kill one and another one will take its place.” I sighed. “I wonder what’s so attractive about near certain dead.”

“Maybe they have principles,” Kendal suggested.

“I doubt it’s that. You’d be amazed how fast those get ignored when it’s convenient,” I said.

“I am sure you’re more experienced than I am in the matter,” Kendal said.

I couldn’t suppress a small smile.

“Anyway, how is your knowledge of Praesi politics?” I asked.

“I must admit it’s rather poor,” Kendal admitted.

I educated Kendal about Praesi politics during the rest of our meal. I focused on Amadeus’ and Alaya’s views. We continued when we got back to the carriage.

 

“But why did the Black Knight allow the Praesi nobility to survive? You said he hates them,” Kendal noted.

“Well, it’s simple. We couldn’t afford to. They were the ones who knew how to run Praes. Alaya managed to convince him of that fact,” I said.

“Alaya is the name of the dread Empress, no?” Kendal asked.

“Yes, it is.”

“I can not seem to remember your name.” Kendal fixed me with a glare.

“That would be because I never told you my name.”

“I think I deserve to know.”

“You can call me Edmund if you like. I’d rather not tell you my real name,” I said.

“Why not?” Kendal asked.

“Because you wouldn’t be able to pronounce it properly.”

“Yet, I’d like to know your birth name.” Kendal insisted.

“Only if you’ll never address me with it,” I said.

“Very well.”

I told her my real name. She tried to pronounce it and failed miserably.

“Do both of us a favor and never try to pronounce my name ever again,” I said.

“It was not that bad,” Kendal protested.

“I disagree.”

Kendal huffed.

I changed the subject back to Praesi politics. The rest of the trip mostly consisted out of my lectures, quiet meals and resting at night.


End file.
